Google switched to its own Tensor chips for Pixel devices a few years ago. The Tensor G4 will be the 2024 iteration that powers its device lineup and like its predecessors, the latest chip will use Samsung's Exynos 2400 as the blueprint. You already find the Exynos 2400 in some variants of the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+.
This doesn't come as a surprise, as previous Tensor chipsets have used Samsung Exynos chips as the blueprint. What's interesting to note is that Google is going with a custom CPU design this time around, as opposed to using Samsung's CPU design.
Tensor G4 is also going to be manufactured by Samsung
The Tensor chipset is the result of a close collaboration between Google and Samsung. The first chip was used for the Pixel 6 lineup launched in 2021. It's based on the Exynos 2100 and has the same CPU and GPU configurations.
There was a slight change the following year when the Tensor G2, based on the Exynos 2200, was launched with a custom ARM-based GPU designed by Google. It was a similar story for the Tensor G3 and this year's Tensor G4 was expected to be the same. However, that may not be the case, as highlighted in a recent benchmark sighting of the chipset.
It was spotted with an octacore CPU design as opposed to the Exynos 2400's decacore CPU, possibly highlighting the fact that Google has designed a custom CPU configuration for its newest chip. If this report turns out to be accurate, this will be the first chipset in Google's Tensor series to feature a custom CPU.
This highlights considerable advancement in Google's aim to develop its custom chip. The company has been getting them manufactured from Samsung Foundry so far, but earlier reports have also suggested that Google might shift to TSMC for the Tensor G5 next year.
